


Bubbles

by Bana_Bana



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Angst, Gen, Junmyeon's Birthday Week 2020, Reincarnation, merfolk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-30
Updated: 2020-05-30
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:53:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24329086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bana_Bana/pseuds/Bana_Bana
Summary: Junmyeon's friend isn't feeling well.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 8
Collections: Challenge #2 — Merfolk





	Bubbles

There's a fish in Junmyeon's attic. He doesn't know how it got there or why it likes the orange slices he has with his lunch every Sunday. - But Junmyeon doesn't mind. He's just happy that Bubbles will keep him company while no one is home.

Every weekend, Junmyeon'll climb up the ladder to the attic where Bubbles will always be waiting with today's game. Sometimes, he'd have the chessboard or a deck of cards ready, and on special days, Bubbles will even put together Dad's old ping pong table to play with. The one thing that every weekend had in common was that the two would always end their day lying in Bubbles' nest of Mom's old quilts.

So what made today different? They both played a game like every other weekend. They sat side by side while eating lunch with Junmyeon sneaking extra orange slices for the other. And now? - They're in the mess of quilts, recounting the day and past memories except... Junmyeon keeps finding loose scales within the folds of the quilt, all dry and flimsy - lacking the usual energetic yellow in color. And Bubbles? He's looking pale himself, his skin the color of glue and somewhat sticky like it. It worries young Junmyeon, confused as to what happened after he left Saturday night.

Rolling onto his stomach to face Bubbles, he studies his friend's appearance further. He quickly notices how Bubbles won't quite meet his eyes, choosing to focus on the stitching of a particular square of the blanket. It shouldn't hurt as much as it does, but when Junmyeon sees the slightest tear clutching to the side of Bubbles' eye, it pulls at his chest. The sight makes his mouth feel dry and bitter as his throat prevents a single word from slipping out. The most he can do is give Bubbles his hand, using his thumb to rub circles of concern on the back of the other's hand.

It isn't until after a long pause that Bubbles finally looks at Junmyeon, his eyes no longer able to hold back the tears that have collected. Like the fish out of water that he is, Bubbles gasps for air as his sobs take over. Junmyeon can only squeeze his hand as the pain in his chest weighs him down. He should've known this couldn't last forever.

All of those controlled touches, the distance that always hung between them, and Bubbles' refusal to use his voice too much, it was all done to make it hurt less but all it did was make the two wish they could've closed that gap between them. Now, as Bubbles shed his tail and skin - reducing to nothing but a fine dust - Junmyeon could only offer his gentle touch and regretful tears. A stillness took over the room as though the world were grieving with Junmyeon over his loss. However, the young boy never noticed with his heart rumbling in his ears while his mind's eye replayed the image of Bubbles' tears falling.

"Junmyeon!"

The sound of his mother calling broke Junmyeon out of his mourning. Anger started to boil within him as it upset him how cheerful she sounded while he sat here next to his best friend's remains. He was tense with rage as he left the attic and even more so as he entered the kitchen, facing his mother's back.

"Look who I brought for you!"

His mother turned around and stepped aside from the counter. Peacefully swimming amongst the stalks of green that inhabited the bowl, an electric yellow fish with misty eyes glanced at the boy. It swished its tail as though it were quietly waving for Junmyeon only before slinking within the greenery of the fishbowl.

He couldn't believe what, or rather, who he was seeing. Those yellow scales, the shake of the tail, his eyes, Junmyeon knew right away. With his anger and sorrow forgotten, tears of relief and limitless joy slid down his cheeks as his face completely brightened.

"Bubbles!"


End file.
